a profound disagreement about this issue but i would say to everyone in the house of commons who voted for an oversize house of commons and unequal constituency boundaries that are both costly and unfair, they will have to justify that to their constituents.

>> good morning. [applause] good morning early birds. thank you so much for coming out early for a private breakfast. welcome to those of you and livestream land. i appreciatappreciat e having you. this is the first playbook wreck the stuff 2013 so we look forward to seeing you throughout the year after the amazing year that we had last year. this morning we are going to go inside the gang of eight. we have two of the ringleaders here this morning senator mccain, senator schumer who helps pull off something that in washington people didn't think was possible which was a bipartisan agreement so they will take us inside that and we are going to look ahead to the coming day. before we chat with the senators we are going to welcome "politico"'s manu raju who helped break the story and after

that senator mccain. before that i would like to thank bank of america for their partnership for making these conversations possible including that incrediblincredibl e brunch and inauguration where people had a great time. some people had to grade a great time. we have a great conversation with the playbook series is a forum that makes it possible for us to talk in-depth about the issues that matter the most in washington so thank you john and bank of america colleagues. out there and twitter land hash but playbook reckless and if i do it right the questions will pop up right here. i have my first tweet so we will try to do that and the tweets will pop up as week. now i would like to welcome to let it go's star manu raju. [applause] thank you for coming in.

appreciated very much. with. with the gang of eight a secret was their detective work involved in covering it? >> yeah in terms of they didn't want to let on how much progress is being made behind the scenes. in washington whenever word starts leaking out of what is happening in the talks inevitably those talks blow up. so as they were negotiating this was happening at the time of the fiscal cliff negotiations much of the media focus was happening on the fiscal cliff, but throughout that period if the staff was meeting, the senators are meeting and they really only had the first meeting after the holidays was last wednesday when they were close to finalizing that agreement. it wasn't until over the weekend that they actually did finalize it and announced it on monday so things moved rather rapidly in the room. >> pre-game here with manu and

we are setting the scene for the conversation to come. tell. tell me something about the immigration bill that senator mccain and senator schumer won't. >> i don't think they will get into much of the details in terms of the hurdles that remain from taking this legislative tax out of this five-page document into a detailed legislative proposal. they're. there are going to be a number of -- this bill could be several hundred pages long and we are talking about a very sweeping change not just in the legal immigration system but as well as how you deal with the 11 million illegal immigrants. how they do that in the hurdles that remain will be interesting to see how much they detail that. >> you point out in one of your stories at the vigorous debate on this since -- >> and we remember what happened then. this blew up in the senate after

big push by the bush administration and a bipartisan coalition trying to get this through with opposition from both sides and of course creating amnesty but we have seen some of those going through muted in the initial days and we will see what happens when the legislative process continues. >> the gang of eight for four republicans and four democrats have put together work of an immigration bill and immigration principles. how do we find out that the gang exists? >> one of our reporters was the first one to write about this when talking to senators about what is going on on immigration because the president was certainly laying the groundwork in the beginning part of the new congress and as we know nothing can get done unless there are 5 -- bipartisan work in earnest and it turns out it all happened right after the election.

lindsey graham with a phonecall to chuck schumer saying i want to talk about immigration and john mccain wants his talk about immigration. >> one of the reasons you're a great reporter is people talk to you and a number of you have covered capitol hill and capitol hill is amazing. you can ask questions of anyone just like at the white house. when i move from the white house to the hill i was standing back because i was approaching people i watched you in action up there. you physically grab the senators. tell me your secret and getting the senators to talk to you constantly. >> well i don't actually grab them. >> yes you do. i have seen you. >> i hide behind bushes and pop out. no, you try to develop a

relationship over the years and talking to them and grabbing them in a location where they are predisposed to chat. when you're running quickly for a vote you might not get them from an interview but if you catch them in their office you have more time to chat and get to know them. you sort of half over have over the years developed a level of trust that your report will be accurate and representative of what they are actually saying. as well as being able to understand people's patterns. it's going to be a certain time where a good time to actually interview people or comes with time. >> what is the buzz? immigrations, it guns and the -- those are the big buckets. how are senators dividing their attention? >> right now the fiscal talks

are taking a backseat at least right now because of immigration starting to drive the debate. guns are going to happen but i guess that will happen the first part of the year but i think people expect that issue to be resolved in the early part of this congress at least on the senate side and then immigration the focus will turn around when these guys unveil their legislative proposals and if it goes through the committee process. but that's going to happen right at the same time as the deal that has to do with the continuing resolution to keep the government operating past march 27. they have to deal with those fiscal issues once again so this week of course it's immigration but there's not a whole lot for senators to weigh in on because there is no legislative text yet. i think we will see that as they really consume congress in march, april and may when the

bills start moving out of committee and onto the floor. >> as we think about it here what are you going to do today? >> i will still be trying to get as much information about what's happening in these talks as well as what senators, how they view the latest immigration proposal as well as several other leads i hope to turn into stories next week. >> what is your day like? >> hopefully not 10 stories. today i think the initial reaction out of those initial stories out of this group starting to move off of the news cycle and we will start getting into what's happening behind those stories that actually come and onto the other things are happening. of course the gun issue is an important issue as well.

>> thank you for meeting with us. appreciate it very much. >> thanks for having me. [applause] >> and now without further delay we would like to welcome senator mccain and senator schumer. [applause] thank you, senators. thank you very much. senator schumer didn't trust you so he brought his own. >> made in brooklyn with 1200 employees. >> senator schumer congratulations on the sandy aid package. the amount of money is one of your biggest accomplishments. >> thank you. very important. there are so many people in new york just waiting for that age. i was in highland park monday morning before i came here and i was with all fonts stow motto

because that's his home community. he came out, 60% of the stores on main street are still not open. half of the homes cannot be occupy then no one can repair or rebuild until they knew the money was there because the way the federal reimbursement works, no bank will lend money and less they know the money is there and now they know and people will be able to begin to get back to their lives. >> senator mccain later this week you're off to -- for security meeting. >> the vice president is going also to the annual conference that is attended by world leaders from all over the world. i remember a couple of years vladimir putin came and insult in the united states and every other country in the west which was in interesting diatribe. [inaudible] >> i don't think he was his

happiest day after the 60 minutes piece. [laughter] >> why is that? >> i think he is one of the most likeable and congenial men i have ever known in the united states senate and i think chuck would agree. >> i do. >> before you came out we were saying the gang of eight accomplish something rare which was for democrats and for plug-ins coming together on something. usurp together 13 years and senator schumer came to the other body in 1999 i believe it was in the gang of eight started to come together the friday after the election. senator lindsey graham gave you a call on saturday morning and you saw him on your call sheet. you called him and you said what? >> i said hi lindsey and he said -- the lindsey is one of the most effervescent and as john knows the band is back.

let's do immigration and that was wonderful. than the next moment he said and i talked to john mccain and he wants to get back involved in my heart when pitter patter. [laughter] that meant -- that meant we could get something done in that sunday we reached different tv shows sunday morning talk shows. we both said we were going to do it and here we are. we are not there yet but at least we have made good progress. >> senator you were prescient early on to change and you are back. what made you change your mind? >> actually i have always been for it but i've always been concerned about border security and they think with good reason. if you talk to the experts the majority of drugs smuggled into the united states come from the arizona mexico mexico border. there is huge violence as we know in mexico which has gone up. we have people on mountain tops

in arizona guiding the drug dealers. these coyotes that bring people across and treat them in the most terrible fashion. horrible things happen to people that are brought across, and we need a secure border. we are going to go to the border but again, we have made significant improvements in there have also been technology advancements in places like iraq and afghanistan where we can surveilled the borders. my friends on the arizona mexico border in the summertime it gets as hot as 130 degrees and that's hard on people. so we have got to really do the technology side of this thing which by the way the israelis have been able to do and i'm confident that we can make that progress to assure our citizens that their lives are secure. we are in a secure building. my friends, the ranchers in southern arizona every night have drug people going across their property.

they deserve security but we can achieve that. we can achieve that and we are on the road to doing that. >> senator i think you said six members are going to go with you. what can you see when you go to the border? >> first of all they can see the vastness of the border. the second thing they can see is the improvements that have been made. third they can see the still may be need to be done. talk to the men and women on the ground who are in our border patrol. literally risking their lives sometimes. there is nothing like having eyeballs and chuck and i have found on the issue, to really get a good understanding of there. >> yesterday was the sixth meeting of the gang and i guess you guys talked about with your cell phone down. >> we hate the word getting. [laughter] >> go, on. [laughter] let's rebrand it right here. what would you rather be called? >> the group of eight, great

americans. >> hopeful, prayer full americans. >> what does you cover your meeting yesterday and what's the next step? >> and these meetings were in your office? >> we alternate because we don't want this to be a democratic proposal or a republican proposal so we alternate between john's office in my office. last night we were in john's office. i'm going to try to get some kosher food for senator schumer. >> from brooklyn. >> may be some salmon or something like that. [laughter] >> john said something monday when we were meeting before we announced the details. i. i said do you think we can get this done by march and he said absolutely. it's so difficult as he has been through and i've been through writing detailed legislation. last night we started tackling some of the biggest issues, the

the parameters for measuring when the border is secure and how to deal with the 11 million who gain citizenship given there are so many of our colleagues want to make sure that they are not treated any better when they cross the border illegally than people who waited in line. we made huge progress and we have come to an agreement and it took an hour and 15 minutes. our staffs are drafting today meeting with the people from dhs, the border people to go over some of the technologies that john mentioned and other things. and we have set meetings so we are going to meet tuesday and thursday at a set time every week until we get this done with wednesday being the staff meetings to work out what they did on tuesday and thursday to review with the staff is come up with as they flush out the legislative language. >> to catch up our audience here

on on line on let go live on twitter land at hashtag playbook reckless. you said you would principles by february so you beat your deadline by four days, a record on capitol hill. legislative language by march and senator schumer you said you hoped for passage on the floor by late spring which really means july, right? >> you don't know. we are right now ahead of schedule as you were nice enough to mention. there's big enthusiasm not only among our group of age but i think in the country to get this done on both sides of the aisle. and senator leahy has been great. he says he know he will make time in committee. both john and i agree and all of us agree we are going to go through committee. we are going through the regular border process. john and i worked in a group that came out with rules changes in an effort to strengthen them so we could go back to the way way --

>> a 51 vote meltdown. >> right, and we very much want to see the regular order restored. i have had younger senators come to me and say what is the conference committee really like? how do they legislate being in the committees? and you know because we don't do it anymore. and it makes being a legislator less pleasant and we get less done. the immigration bill may be the first big test. senator leahy in any any case agreed to meet would have all the time we need and there will be a marketing committee and the judiciary committee has liberal members. there'll be lots of amendments out there and senator reid has said when we are ready to go to the or we will so the hope is late spring early summer. >> one of the lessons from 07 was they held together opposed amendments. will you all stay together to reject amendments in the judiciary committee on the flora? >> we haven't talked about that. i think we have to, unless there

is something we both agree to. in other words, if you are -- this is going to be fragile as these kinds of things are and so we'll have to take some tough votes in order to keep it intact. that is so far down the road right now and we haven't had a chance to discuss it. >> one thing we agree on is the core principles we have agreed on must stay intact. that doesn't mean every single amendment john and i have to agree on and we probably won't. >> senator schumer how much time do you expect this will take on the floor? >> i think it could take three or four weeks. this is such an important issue to america and it's so complicated and it deals with every aspect that i think we should have four full and robust debate. and. and by the way the hope is that we can pass this with a nice, sizable bipartisan majority because that will set the stage

and making it easier for the house to pass. we don't want to have five republicans. we wouldn't get all 55 democrats. >> will be a lot of republicans, either way. >> john and marco rubio have shown such courage on this and such strength to do what is good for the nation. i have been really impressed with their desire to meet us in the middle and the same with bomb -- bob menendez but particularly our republican colleagues. they are getting a lot of flak and they are showing strength. that's another thing that gives me optimism anyway. >> there is a trace of and all three of our family's. [laughter] >> senator mccain how hazardous is it for senator marco rubio running in 2016 to

be -- on this? >> i think it's important and i think it's helpful. marco rubio represents a very large state and a lot of hispanic and latino voters. he understands the issue. he is articulate and i think it's very helpful to have a newer member of the senate that is of his frankly really deep understanding of the issue and appreciation. as. as you know his family came from cuba and he understands i think the issues confronting people who came to this country either legally or illegally as well as anyone. and i would like to say a word about chuck. he has been very strong. he has people on his side of the aisle that wants everybody said this in now and the story and we have -- he has had to push back against that as well. we have got to maintain the

center with both ends that will not ever agree and we have to understand that. we are not seeking 100 votes but we are seeking eight votes and i think we can achieve that. >> senator schumer is that the neighborhood you're hoping for? >> that's the hope that getting a large majority on each side is very important. >> senator mccain you said what senator rubio was doing was helpful in the senate. is it helpful to him? >> i think so but the thing i found -- [inaudible] >> he took a leadership role on a very important issue. do you know what i think i founded my political life is if you do the right thing it always ends up okay. if you do something for a political reason in my experience, and i have done that, it has turned out badly. i think marco rubio is doing the right thing. >> i would add and i agree with john completely on all of this,

after we came out with our principles he signed up to go on all of the talk shows as a very conservative radio and tv host and it was amazing. he started out the rush limbaugh show and i think rush limbaugh is more hostile to immigration reform. >> he talked a little bit yesterday on the show with rubio in the lions den. wind he started limbaugh was far more hostile in the end and that's going to be a real service because -- >> what he has been able to do and what we are trying to do is to make our talk show friends and people on the right at fox and others that the status quo is unacceptable. the status quo is unacceptable to have 11 million people in the shadows forever in this country. and we have to keep assuring them. this is why i appreciate chuck's

corporation and dick durbin and bob menendez. we have to get a secure border. it's a fact, in 1986 we gave amnesty to 3 million people and he said it would never happen again now we have 11 million people in this country illegally. i don't want to hand down to the next generation of leaders in this country situation where we have another large group of people who have come to this country illegally and chuck understands that. that goes a long way in assuaging the concerns of a lot of my friends on the right. >> one more question. >> i would say one other thing. we the four principles came out got on the phone with the hispanic leadership. i think they understand. i can speak on the liberal side. i have been impressed with the understanding of the groups who so yearn to help their brethren brothers and sisters.

it's no longer politically correct word unless the is a female analogy. i didn't want to say that because i would get criticized. the brotherhood and sisterhood. anyway, we digress. they yearn for them to come out of the shadows but they have an understanding that just do have a wish list and say here's what we believe in and not be able to compromise will consign the problem to go on. the desire not just of us but of the groups out there to understand the compromise is a necessary part of getting something done has impressed me. >> one another dirty little secret here. 70. 72% of the hispanic american vote went to the president of the united states in the last election. republicans are beginning to appreciate if we are going to have a meaningful dialogue with our hispanic citizens and the

latino voters then we are going to have to resolve this issue. it's just a fact. >> what specifically did governor romney do wrong on this issue? >> one of the things that i enjoyed after he lost was an unending and unceasing barrage of criticism and second-guessing. a lot of it but i mike allen. [laughter] i think the republican party, not mitt romney or anybody else but the republican party has failed to understand and to a significant degree the importance of this issue to our hispanic population. i'm talking about pure politics now, pure politics and we are elected to office because the voters think we will help them achieve their hopes and dreams and aspirations for the future. if you have a large block of americans who believe that you are trying to keep their

brethren and sisterhood down, their fellow hispanics down and deprive them of an opportunity obviously that's going to have an effect on the voters. i think the republicans and we are not all monolithic but more sensitive to these hopes and dreams and aspirations. it should be reflected in the ballots. >> the last question in politics and then we will plunge into the specifics specifics of the bill. senator. senator mccain there are republicans in the house and senate who threatened to derail the bill. senator cruz came out against it yesterday. how damaging would it be to the republican party if that occurs? >> senator schumer presenting to -- it's going to be a tough fight but the american public opinion has shifted dramatically since 2007. poll after poll shows that the

majority of the american people and a significant majority of the american people believe there should be a path to citizenship as long as they pay a fine, back-taxes -- >> why is it going to be so tough? >> the things that are necessary in order to achieve citizenship including being behind those who came to this country legally. that caveat is a huge caveat and changes those numbers dramatically. that is why we are focusing on that part of this issue as well. whoever's up post to it is now looking at public opinion polls that are very different in my view than they were in 2007. >> senator mccain if this goes down what will be the consequences to the republican party? >> i think the trend will continue of a lack of support from hispanic voters and also as you look at the demographics in states like mine, that means you

will go from republican to democrat over time but there are a lot of issues that our citizens care about besides immigration that are important to them that they will be making their judgments on but until we get that issue resolved we won't be able to debate those. >> secretary schumer you are saying that if this goes down republicans will do worse? >> look, i'm not in the business like yogi berra said never try to predict especially if you're talking about the future. [laughter] i think it's a danger but mike i think the reason we are doing it is because we see this issue out there unresolved. it's not so much concern about the future. it's concerned about now. >> i wish is going to say on our side there are some who have heard the argument, let's leave it out there is an issue. let's leave it as a wedge issue because will ensure the dominance of the democratic hardy for a long time.

that is wrong. that is just as wrong as the people who say don't do anything. i think the vast majority of democrats and the president included want to get something done here. >> you referred to this in your marks in the press conference. i think there are a lot of people who wonder does the president really want this? why are you convinced that he wants the achievement or the issue? via talk to him about this issue several times face-to-face and he really does care. he cares about it. he knows how important it is to the economy of this country which has been his number one guiding issue to solve our immigration problem. in a lot of ways not just having the 11 million people come out of the shadows and pay taxes and become productive citizens. we all agree it's absurd we attract the best and the bride is around the world and let them get ph.d.s, m.a.'s and m.a.s from our best universities and then go home

and compete against us. it mix no sense. the president understands that and let me tell you he has been terrific on this. this idea that we were jockeying as much or. i spoke to him sunday night and we told them we had come to an agreement and we had a great conversation. what he has done and is playing a constructive role in my opinion. he is rallying the country to do reform and getting us all together. but at the same time he is giving us the space to get something done. i have been very impressed with not only the president's desire to get it done but his ability to work with us as part of the team to get that done. >> every president in their second term worries about their legacy. i think of president is more interested in having this accomplish then he is of harming the republican party. >> senator mccain have you

talked to president obama about this? >> i have not. >> i have great respect for the president. i believe that at some point we will all be meeting with the president on this issue because we need to coordinate with the administration. but i think -- i haven't seen it degree of partisanship overall as there is today. but we are showing some signs of bipartisanship as they did into furthering the nuclear option in the senate. this issue i think republicans are more inclined to let the process go forward and senator reid is more inclined to let us have amendments. i think that when we are down to 11% approval rating, there was a

favorability thing. a call and ask if he is viewed more favorably than a member of congress. we are in kind of bad shape to say the least. i won't pursue that point any further. i have this whole planet guy ran guy ran up in the airport instead say anyone tell you you look a lot like senator john mccain? i said ian. doesn't just make you mad as hell? [laughter] so there is a desire on our part and on both sides of the aisle to work more with the president and work more with each other and maybe that's a little pollyannaish but i do think it's true. >> i agree. american politics works and pendulous wings and the partisanship has reached his peak. at the end of last year -- code. >> you think in general -- >> the number one reason i'm so

invested in this issue is to get it done but number two and john and i have talked about this as we went through the rules changes. he said seven net new way of doing things in the senate, the congress and 10, coming together on issues where we can come together and i think it can happen. i really do. >> last december we did the defense authorization bill and we dispense with 380 amendments and went forward in it the right thing. i am guardedly optimistic that we will do that. >> postal reform towards the end of last year but they were a good number of complicated pieces of legislation. they didn't pass the house most of them, but they got through the senate with good bipartisan support. >> senator mccain to you by the pendulum idea that it has reached the bottom? it's reached its worst point it is getting better? >> i do and maybe i'm wrong. maybe that is not the case but i

think as chuck just mentioned, we have shown we can make certain progress in other areas and i think historians who study the senate as boring as that might be to look back on the subversion of this nuclear option because if it happened that was going to happen unless we could come up with this roadmap for the leaders. on the filibuster, that of the senate had gone to weigh 51 vote body it would have changed the nature of the united states senate forever. >> before we leave this senator schumer you had quality time with the president recently. you were chairman of the joint and not grow committee and among your duties are to? >> you ride in a limo with the president alone. it's a very nice limo. in any case, we had a very good

conversation. it was not different than the one we had here about the next four years and what they are going to be like. i don't want to give away the presence lots. i express the same thing we expressed here that it's going to get better and there will be more agreement and the president agreed with that. >> what is the car like? >> its plush. it's dig and heavy. and the windows are very thick. they can't see in but you can see all. >> what else did you talk about? >> that was the main thing. the main thing was that. my staff gave me a list of 22 things we needed in new to new k and was dying to ask them. on the morning of his inauguration i figured that wasn't quite appropriate. a rare moment of restraint. >> you are very shy. >> a rare moment of restraint. >> on monday you put out the

five-page bipartisan framework, and we would like to read between the lines. in the bipartisan agreement to talk about electronic means of employment verification. that is both for a super social security card that would have a biometric thing like a fingerprint in a. senator schumer you have said you are for this. senator mccain what is your view of acquiring that? >> i would like to remind you that the 9/11 commission made a series of recommendations one of which was never implemented, this kind of identification that is required and exactly what you call in and how you get to it. but there is technology now that could give us a social security card, a social security card that is tamperproof. >> you are for that? >> but let's be clear here. people say national i.d. card. that's a card you have to show one a police officer anyone came

up to you. this would only be used in the same cases when you social security card. if we want to stop future -- i want to make a point here. our goal is not to have to come back 10 years from now. we want a permanent solution and that means stopping future waves of illegal immigration. a lot of that is order and that is why but other parts and their something marco rubio has pushed. we have a biometric -- >> people who are here illegally overstayed their visas. >> we have a biometric when you come into the country but not when you leave. we have to fix that. the second is having employers. why do illegal immigrants come here? it's simple. it's for jobs and if you are making a bumper of wheat in southern mexico and you can make $3 now for here even though it's

below minimum wage in lousy conditions, you are covered. we. we want to make sure employers do not hire people who are here illegally. the only way to do that is to have a non-forcible card. right now you can go down the street here and get a social security card or driver's license for 100 bucks that is forged. >> it sounds like you have a the legislative language and this biometric security card may be -- >> i don't think some on some on my side maybe. but there are others. some people say to do e-verify permanently but that has too many false negatives and false positives in my judgment. we have to come up with something. >> if someone hire someone it legally in this country if they don't know whether they're legal or not is one thing. we have to make sure we have someone hires someone in this country illegally that they will be punished. >> senator mccain the white house wants the protection and

their bill extended to same-sex couples. would you oppose adding that to the senate planned? >> plan? >> i think it is a red herring. do we want to guarantee a taxpayer freed abortion? i'm telling you if you load this up with social issues and things that are controversial, it will in danger the issue. i was interested yesterday morning -- the first question was we are talking about four principles that we have to act on. look, i will be glad to talk about it and discuss it and what the ramifications are but if someone views that is the most important aspect of conference of immigration reform then we have a fundamental disagreement. >> i'm a sponsored this bill and i'm for it and i care about it. we haven't discussed it yet and certainly it will be one of the issues on the table but as john said we first have to get her basic structure and framework before we make decisions. >> lgbtq or border security? i will tell you mott by

priorities are. again if you're going to load up a special issues that's the best way to derail it in my few. >> senator schumer -- schumer how do you respond to the left to say probationary legal status can wait inslee before getting green cards when you push a time limit? >> i want to say couple of things. there've been a whole lot of bugaboos that the commission can block anybody. people immediately can get a work visa so they are out of the shadows and they can work and stay in the united states if they don't have the criminal, a criminal charge against him. we know that. that the lead secure the borders and we are defining the parameters as we speak. before you can get a green card on the path to citizenship but we have agreed on a few things first.

everyone of the 11 million who meets our criteria, learning english and staying clear of the law and paying fines and things like that will be eligible. we have to figure out how to do that. obviously none of us intend for people to wait and interminably long period of time. but it's another principle on the other side. very important to help marco rubio along and to his credit he's been talking about. he feels by crossing the border illegally you shouldn't gain advantage over somebody who has waited their turn. if somebody applied to the mexico u.s. embassy in january 2007 and someone else crossed the border and is here in january 2008, we all agree that the person who waited in line in 2007 should be able to get that green cart before the person in 2008. we have to figure out how to do that so it's not an interminably long period of time where people

are older dead before they come. at the same time we have to make sure that this principle is capped because that helps is past the bill. one other point. we have made two exceptions to that. did durbin has worked hard on the d.r.e.a.m. act and we all agree that should give special priority. second we will need something special for agriculture because it's a different situation conversely whether you are and new york dairy country or arizona ranching country. you can get americans to do that kind of our. >> we are about to get the hook. senator mccain if you talk to speaker boehner about this? >> no but i did hear his statement a couple of days ago where he believes comprehensive immigration reform is something that needs to be done. mike, just real quickly. the environment has changed since 2007. that is why we are guardedly optimistic. there are a whole bunch of minds out there that we have to avoid or defuse but i'm confident and

cautiously optimistic we can get this done. if we don't think i think it's going to have from of haitians not just for republicans but for the entire country. do have a nation with 11 million people living in the shadows is not a country we like to teach our country about. spoony something that you shared that you both came from from the house. what is the path in getting to the house? passing a measure? >> i think probably one of the scenarios is a majority of the democrats in the house and a significant and maybe a majority of the republicans in the house. i would not anticipate a unanimous republican support but i think there can be significant republican support. >> the point it would make a larger number of republicans begin the senate the more like in my judgment as we will pass it in the house and second going through the committee and allowing amendments and goings

to the floor and allowing amendments will help us. the senate is a very diverse body and we will get amendments from the very conservative members in the very liberal members and it will help refine and educate the house members about what this bill is all about and ways of talking to them for an hour couldn't. so i think that those things are important. a good number of republicans go through the regular order. >> and a question about senator senator -- senator kennedy. is there something that should be buttoned down here? >> i would like to have senator schumer howdy think this place for some of your folks in 14 moderate red state democrats. max baucus and -- voted against his plan. >> i'm not going to speak for any individual senator. we will get the majority of the

democrats but we won't get all of them and we don't expect to get all of them so we need a good number of republicans to vote for the bill to get 60. >> all these young people have a copy of politico that is required reading. announced there was going to be a written quiz afterwards on today's edition. >> part of the good breakfast. senators, senator mccain you mentioned senator kennedy and your remarks the other day and senator schumer chuck todd wrote the other day since your become in the democratic dealmaker is there a line in the sand with the democratic colleagues in ability to reach across the aisle and chuck schumer at the closest thing to that is right now. i wonder if you could tell me -- do -- we learned from senator kennedy or what part d think it will play in the next couple of months? >> i think senator schumer is assuming that role. i think it takes years and i'm sure that chuck would be with

that. he is certainly off to a very healthy start. the one thing i've noticed about dealing with senator schumer is he is very shyer and retiring and it's hard to get his real views out. the fact is -- >> in brooklyn i am known as shy >> the traits that senator schumer and senator kennedy share is one you know exactly where they stand a number two they will never change. they will never go back on their word. those are the keys to success in the united states senate. >> senator kennedy and was a giant. he. he was my mentor and i admired him. >> there is a house group -- are you staying on the same page? >> we are going to. we have just come out with the

guidelines so we can take something to our house counterparts that we can agree on. we want to work with them. we absolutely do despite the traditional senate -- >> i would just say this. we haven't talked to this group, but the one group i have stayed in touch with senators durbin and the congressional hispanic caucus and they have been very supportive of what we have been doing even if each specific is not something they would support >> a hard part of your role, you are kind of the bridge between the senate deal and what the white house and the left wants which is a little more. how do you pull them back toward where you are? >> first the desire to get a bill -- we have been through this so many times. a couple of times as john mentioned in 1986 and the failure to build path and didn't do the job and more recently attempts it never got anywhere. just think of yourself as a

hispanic leader. you have all these people who you know and deal with who are in the shadows, who are desperate to live the life the way the other 300 million americans are. you are willing to make some compromises to get a bill. this is chuck schumer but it's durbin, menendez on almost all the democrats and the president. the bottom line is the path to citizenship for the 11 million. they know that but they have so far and i believe it will continue, given us the kind of flexibility we need to get a bill done. not everybody agrees with me, agrees with john r. greece but the head of one group or another. >> i'm getting the hook here. as we say goodbye sunday's super bowl, senator mccain you have a lot of sports packages. tell us about -- you like sportscenter right?

>> most mediocre high school athletes are the most mediocre fans. that is what i was. you know i kind of -- nobody thought the ravens would get to where they are so i'm rooting for the ravens. >> let's give her addictions. >> clothes, a couple of points. >> senator schumer you have been to the super bowl. what is it like? >> i met giants fans. i live in brief the new york giants. it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. i wasn't going to go and it's expensive than everything else. my wife said you loved the giants. she said you may be dead before they win the next super bowl.

[laughter] that was good logic and she was right about this year. so i went and i loved it. it was the first and only time i have been there. one of the things i'm looking forward to their is i've want to see beyoncé. i think she did a great job at the inauguration. [laughter] i look forward to hearing her in new orleans. she won me over early on in my career, and the story in the new york post you know was just made-up. >> there is a story that said beyoncé hadn't apologized to senator schumer and you can go behind the curtain. you angrily admitted -- you haven't seen that angry. >> it was silly. i was on my way out and somebody said dionne say apologize.

>> where was this? >> i was doing and events, press event about sandy on sunday morning. normally they put the microphone there and someone said to beyoncé apologize? the headline was schumer demands apology from beyoncé. [laughter] >> do you have a super bowl score? >> the ravens by four. [inaudible] >> i thank all of you and livestream land for watching in my political colleagues who made this event possible and thank you for coming out to early and thank you to bank of america for making this conversation possible and thank you senator schumer and senator mccain for making this all possible. thank you all. [applause] >> ok.

fyou >> thank you for inviting me here today. i this is anmp important conversation for our children, for our community, for democrats . speaking is difficult but i need to say something important. violence is a big problem. too many children are dying.

too many children. we must do something. it will be hard but the time is now. you must act. be bold, be courageous, americans are counting on you. thank you.

>> to hear what governor bullock has to say tonight. they both say the tenor of the session has been more collegiate and friendly than in years past and they say in that regard they can wait here with the governor has to say in detail more of his agenda. joining me now to talk more about that is the -- mark lay still who's a republican in the minority leader chuck hunter a democrat to talk more about what we expect tonight. my first question to the speaker. what do you hope to hear tonight? what you hope to hear from the governor? >> i look forward to hearing from the governor. obviously you heard through the campaign trail what he wanted to do. this is going to be his first time at to address the legislature and put out his legislative agenda and his ideas for how to move montana forward and that will give us an opportunity to be able to come up with what we can work with him on to move the state for together. >> any specifics you are looking for? >> i'm interested to see obviously the tax relief proposals and how we can work together on those,

infrastructure funding for montana and more importantly jobs and economy and what we can do for the state in and the citizens to keep the economy moving forward. >> the same for you. what you hope to hear from the governor? >> i think we hope to hear further explanation and greater depth of the explanation of what he will propose and we will hear things not only about the coming 90 days but the next two or even four years of his term in office. we are hoping to hear long-term plan along with specifics. many of the things speaker blaisdell mentioned things about it infrastructure and education moving the economy forward our specifics you want to hear as well. >> back to again, there is a concern for things you expect to did disagree on the expect to talk about. >> i think there may be issues between the parties that we will be seeing differently in the governor speech but i don't expect to hear things from the

governor that we will disagree with. >> as democrats you will probably agree? >> mostly. speaker lay still do expect to hear in a red wings for the red wings for the republicans? >> others that he is going to lay out a set of ideas and values that he wants to see in montana and that is what the legislature is about to debate those ideas and work on the ones we can agree upon an obviously there will be disagreements. but there are disagreements on possible that each party has and not on the person or personalities and we want to make sure that doesn't get involved in these discussions. >> representative lay still and representative hunter thanks for joining us tonight. i appreciate it. both parties expected different speaking style than in years past. they expect his speech to be dressed down and more of a muted speaking style. ..

sec bear, governor steve bullock making its way into the chamber. they have a foreign legislatures that take on that task and go next and the invitation to the governor and he will make his first address to the joint session of the 63rd legislature. his inner shaking hands, both sides of the aisle. gary, what are you expect a nasa

governor makes its way up? >> s. moderate of these features you can expect with brian schweizer in his governorship. he can use whatever packard bell ontrack capital he has. he has a big month ahead of the work that will then come to his desk so he can do what his job is. >> is that what tonight is about, the tone and tenor is not too much due to this point, but setting a tone. a lot of it talked about in the previous three weeks since i got this session underway. >> the optimism in the last three weeks is genuine. i visited a couple times, almost quite a coincidence. i sense there's a good positive spirit always taken place there. and i think bullock thinks that it will keep that going. >> we hope you're right. preparing to deliver his state

of the state address. as we said, about a 45 minute speech. of course quite a bit different. let's listen in now to governor steve bullock. >> now to present to you, the governor of the state of montana, the honorable steve bullock. [cheers and applause] [applause] [cheers and applause] >> lieutenant governor walsh, mr. president, mr. speaker,

members at the 63rd legislature, governor and mrs. babb talk, honored members of the judiciary, my fellow statewide officials, tribal leaders, members of my cabinet and my fellow montanans. lisa, caroline, alex and cameron. my name is steve and i work for the state. [laughter] [applause] i., like those 12,000 other workers arrived at the job site each day to serve the people of montana. it's an honor and a pleasure to be the public servant entrusted with giving this address. any changes to the industry

should naturally will bring changes to the governor's mansion. changes in substance, changes in style, changes in perspective. but the bullocks moving into the neighborhood, some of those changes are unavoidable. you know, it's been 40 years since the predominant noise emanating from the governor's mansion has been the sound of children, children laughing, singing, shouting, playing, just being kids. that noise will be a daily reminder for me, and i hope a reminder for each of your spouse of the reason we were sent here. montana voters sent us here to make our children and grandchildren's future brighter, more hopeful and more prosperous in the state of montana. [applause]

nellis were genuine in our concern for children's future, will be as careful with the states money as we teach our children to be with their spirit if we accept that this is more about their generation eyes, will enter this building every single day trying to make it so they have even greater opportunities to each and everyone of us has. if we are truly committed to make in our children's future brighter, will invest in our education system. from before they enter kindergarten to the time david higher education, we must prepare them to succeed and a 21st century economy. and if we are sincere in our can learn for the next generation, how we deal with one another matters. not only during the session, but throughout the campaigns that bring us to up his positions of

public trust. every day our kids watch what we do and every day they learn from us. some members of the 63rd legislature, what i ask of you tonight is simple and straightforward. first, be responsible to our budget. i won't allow us to spend more than retaken army cuts undermine may cuts undermine their long-term stability. section, join me in focusing on creating jobs, improving our system of education and making government more effect days. lastly, act in a manner we are not ashamed of her children watching because they are. i'm taking these principles to heart and we party hit the ground running to create better jobs, better schools and a more effective government. a company recently came to

montana and said goodbye to the kid a manufacturing facility in great falls, but they needed a workforce ready for the high-tech bidding they do. they are exactly the kind we should have here in montana. that's why we've been working with great boss college, training workers to fill these jobs in this company is now committed to moving to the electric city. [cheers and applause] now, as part of the new program, will also ensure that high schools in great falls can graduate with the certificates that would make them attractive candidates for this company as well. not only is it better jobs, the

better education. i pledge to bring a more effective government to montana and we do not already as well. tomorrow for the first time after, montana's check book will be online. [applause] will have and still be improved as a searchable database so anyone in montana for anybody across the world for that matter can look at how we're spending the taxpayers money. it's the right thing to do and it will lead to more effective government. there's some things i can accomplish it that your active engagement in partnership. their other areas where we need each other. we need each other for going to make progress. crafting a budget is one of

those areas. montana is the united states. our unemployment is lower than our economy sounder kumble every other states budget, almost everyday states budget is awash in red ink thanks to solid fiscal management, montana's half a billion dollars budget surplus. our state is strong and growing stronger. [applause] to continue improving our position, i think montanans want us to take a balanced approach. that saves time. what's invest some and let's give them back. statements that ought to be simple. i've asked to leave this legislative session of the rainy day fund so i don't have to call you back to helena in eight months or a year from now. that means are going to have to

prioritize, just like the families do in each of our districts. our prayer dismissed her with addressing essential services montanans need in a long-term liability that does before we arrive created for us. keep in mind that if i pull out the veto pen, it may not be personal. and may just be fiscal. we can also invest. i ask you to join me in for your taste in job creation, education and a lower effective government. i'll start with a twofer. the first step you should take in creating jobs and invest in education is put politics aside and pass a jobs bill. [applause] [cheers and applause]

sometimes all it takes is one. as montana and steve earned a reputation for working harder than our counterparts in any other state in the country. the quality of our workers attract businesses here, but we can't expect to develop a 21st century workforce in 20th century conditions. the next generation of plumbers and welders, nurses and imaging tax, mechanics and carpenters really are learning their trade in substandard facilities. the missoula college was built in 1956% hundred students. it now has an enrollment approaching 3000. last week i visited the automotive and diesel program. it has 200 students. 100% placement rate in some graduates earn a starting salary

a heck of a lot better governor. [laughter] but without investment, the program can't continue to grow. it's not just missoula and harder. many facilities there are teeny and operating at capacity. willing to invest in higher education really deserve better. asked by representatives gaylon hollen and i along with groups like the montana chamber of commerce, the montana contractors association are so many others have joined together in educational facilities. it's called a jobs bill, which stands for jobs and opportunities by building schools. we can take advantage of historically low interest rates and immediately create thousands of jobs across the state and we can do it without raising taxes.

[applause] so please, let's stand together and let's stand together with over 2500 construction workers. what's the together world class schools for world-class workforce. and while greta, let's picture this 2500 plus workers newly employed by the jobs bill are our friends and our neighbors. right now we have a lot on the books that requires half of the workers in any construction project, funded by state or local tax dollars be montana residents. it's pedal to the polls and it's not enforceable. but taxpayer money is funding a project. that's the montana companies in montana workers first. [cheers and applause]

again, together we can work together to close these loopholes, expand the requirement to all projects, not just construction. it's also significantly increased montana workers required on any state are locally funded project. i hope you join amanda curtis and i to pass this measure so they can put more money in the hands of montana businesses and create more jobs for montana workers. as we put montana companies and workers first, we must not forget the first montanans. in my budget i propose full funding for indian country economic development. i also insisted the funny become permanent so year after year american indians don't have to come hat in hand asking for these job creating funds. unfortunately first few weeks of

the legislature, that funniness or even cut in half. i asked if this body come if you're serious about job creation from montana, restore full funding for indian country economic development and make the funding permanent. [cheers and applause] now we know that investing in our students and educational institutions requires more than just the bricks and mortar in a jobs bill. for generations, quality of our education system has been recognized as the key to economic growth and job creation. but our public schools are more than not. they are truly, truly the great equalizer regardless of where we are bored or how wealthier parents are, our public schools

open the doors of opportunities to all montanans. they even helped the kid who couldn't and still really can't stand still, become governor of the greatest state in the country. [cheers and applause] as the father of a 152nd reader and a kindergartner, no issue is more important to me in extending opportunities afforded by a good education to montana's next generation. and our schools and incredible teachers to educate our kids give us much to celebrate the montana eighth-graders outperformed every other state in the nation in reading and math and we are second in science. [applause] our high school graduation rates are out and our dropout rate is

down and were increasing the rate at which montana residents are getting college degrees faster than any other state in the nation. but we're not done. it's not where we start. it's where we finish. we know educated workforce is the foundation for prosperous economy. so that's actually commit to increasing number of adults with a postsecondary degree. our professional certification. let's commit to at least 60% over the next decade. that's an ambitious goal. work 40%. the future of the state will be shaped on these goals and what our workforce is. i've asked the commissioner of higher education to join me in committing to school. i asked the same of you because we can't do it without you. this is one of those goals that

we are in it together. it included proposals in this budget that do this and medicine that direction, offering college classes to more high school students will help you recognize higher education is within their reach and would give them a jump start on earning college credit. that's why i'm asking you to help her two-year colleges expand and enhance this dual credit programs. they shouldn't have to reapply and get different financially if they want to take some classes for transfer. we can make it easier for students they finally creating something that should've been done a long time ago, a universal system of enrollment so students at community college have access to courses in montana state university. so they can bridge the hundreds of miles between rural areas and universities. i ask you to pass that.

[applause] and we are going to produce more college graduates at the cost of college is beyond the reach of montana families. let's not kid ourselves. as cautious as this ideas about raising taxes, when tuition increases, the entire education is adequately funded, that's a tax on thousands of working montana families all across our state. my budget and push an agreement to freeze tuition across the university system. i urge you to honor that agreement. [applause] many college students have recently returned home from serving our country in the armed

forces. these soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and women must know that our state will do whatever it takes to help them succeed. this morning i went out to the airport and i was the first montanans to get to welcome 45 soldiers from the montana national guard who are just taken a year of their life and sprinted in afghanistan. i told them her commitment was strong in the lieutenant governor wash and i would ensure we do that to the promise that all of us need to ban when they signed a. s. why about this legislature to invest in our university system and make certain we are providing services and space to meet veteran named. the wraparound services that will reintegrate the serious back into civilian life and onto her college campuses. when i got back from the airport, i found out while i was gone a legislative committee cut funding for these critical

services for returning vets. i urge you to restore the funds. live up to the promises we've made welcome these warriors home with more than just words. [applause] [applause] you know, and for serious about training tomorrow's workforce, our commitment mess began not what our kids first enter college or not when they enter the workforce, but our commitment has to begin when they first enter the world. we can't wait until kindergarten to take an interest. the evidence is compelling. every dollar we invest in early childhood education returns at $9 our communities.

early learning programs work. children involved in early education do better in math and english. much my likely to graduate high school. they are a third less likely to be arrested as a juvenile. unfortunately, montana is dead last in the nation, 50th out of 50 in state's investment in childhood education and to me that's unacceptable. we can expect headstart and other federally funded programs to carry the entire burden. some communities have stepped in to make sure these youngsters are given a better chance. great falls is one example. a- investment led to a dramatic shift in kindergarten readiness, setting the student and our state on a better path for the future. other communities across our state have deemed the same.

as a first step, i encourage this body to expand the proven qualities program and make the long-overdue investment in school readiness. i've laid out a plan that will create 100 more high-quality early childhood programs, getting 600 more families in 1000 more children ready for school each year to prove high investment will produce long-lived benefit for the students and our economy. [applause] and our commitment can't be just in college, can't be early learning. ms continued throughout schooling. in the 1980s, voters created the montana lottery, specifically to find montana schools. in the 1990s, the legislature

began writing the songs for non-education projects. it's time we did right by our bosses and their kids. i ask for you to support my proposal to return profits from the lottery to the public schools as they were intended to support. [applause] my budget also includes additional funding for the highly successful jobs for montana's graduates program. i first learned about this program from governor mark roscoe what brought it to montana. the graduation rate for at-risk teens involved in the program is an amazing 98%. the vast majority of these graduates then go on to jobs, military service or higher education. after 14 months on the job for taxes have already paid more than the investment we have the

state has made. please do support an expansion of that program. [applause] additionally, technology has pushed us into the global marketplace, the far too many schools are lagging behind. the phones in our pockets have better internet access in some of the classes around our state. that's why i support further investing in our schools and using state resources to help school districts modernize and acquire today's technology. and yet we can and we will work together to invest in and improve our schools. in making even modest investment in early childhood education and technology improvements in schools, i'm asking you to the beyond the immediate. even beyond the length of time

that you and i will serve in public office. investing now for later return is what leaders do. i'm asking you to look beyond the immediate and other areas, to come including transforming the way we deliver health care so we can create jobs and take care of those who need our help the most. to have a healthy economy, we need healthy citizens. for those of us with health insurance, we are paying too much in getting too little and for the tens of thousands of montanans who don't have insurance, the emergency room has become the primary care facility pushing cost for all of us even higher. the fact is subsidized and expensive er care for the uninsured costs montanans

$300 million figure. that makes no sense when they're smarter, cheaper ways to provide that her care. to access health montana, were proposing a made in montana solution designed to increase coverage and access health care for more montana families. it will also create a patient centered delivery system that focuses on coordinating care and improving health rather than simply treating illnesses. implementing measures will allow us to control and ultimately lower the cost of care, slowing the inner rate hikes that had all of our wallet. this is an opportunity to reduce costs and expand access to quality care for nearly 70,000 tenants. [applause]

immuno, it's more than that, though. access health will create more than 5000 new jobs next year alone by bringing millions of dollars of new economic at tvd to montana. it will cut costs by improving preventative care and cut cost because those with insurance are much my likely to visit a doctor than just visit the emergency room. medicaid expansion is federally funded. so if montana does not expand its medicaid program, then our tax dollars will be used to help patients in states like arizona, nevada and north dakota. states where republican

governors are leading the effort to expand medicaid. let me make that point abundantly clear. if we fail to act, montana taxpayer dollars will be used to provide health care to citizens thousands of miles away while i rates will continue to go up year after year. it's time we set politics aside on this issue. politics won't treat diabetes. extremism doesn't create jobs. intransigence will provide health care for those who can't afford it. [cheers and applause] ..

for the program in over two decades. for that and other reasons, tonight i ask each and every member of this legislation to take the longer view. lead the way by focusing on health and welfare of our neighbors. let work together to put montana begans first and use their hard-earned cash dollars wisely. [applause]

it it's that same year -- that will help montana to lead america to energy independence. with responsible dwo. our poll, with oil and gas, hydropower, biofuel, the geothermal capacity. we are creating jobs and strength. ing our rural economies. for some communities in eastern montana, the rapid growth associated with the energy boom is created immediate infrastructure challenges. that's why i'm h i've proposed creating a grant program for communities effected by oil and gas development. i ask that we're invest $15 million in providing matching funds to effective cities and towns, areas that don't always get a share of the increased revenue, the county l government

and school distinct receive from oil and gas development. there are challenges but there's opportunities for the whole state with this development. i do hope that you'll join me in addressing those challenges. [applause] [applause] we must also meet our spoonlt to fix the long-term problem created by our predecessors. i have outline a detailed plan that will shore up the public retirement system and do so without raising taxes. i look forward to working with this body to ensure we craft a plan that honors our commitment to montana's public service. a plan that doesn't go back on the promises we made to the snowplow drivers, prison guards, teachers, and other middle class workers who are friends and

neighbors. as i've already described to you, saving something for a rainy day is simple. i believe question wisely invest our resources to create jobs. and improve education. and with a half of billion sur plus, giving back some ought to be equally simple. i believe we're more likely to create jobs if we invest in working families, small businesses, farmers and ranchers and students. in my book an investment in main street in montana is an investment that will pay off right here in montana. [applause] some disagree with me. they believe we would be better off if we focus on multinational corporation that could have the headquarter in pennsylvania, a

delaware, bankers in new york and lobbyists in helena and washington, d.c. other than when they're spending their shareholder dollars in the election. i love the out of state corporations that hire montana to invest in our community. [applause] [laughter] [applause] i welcome those corporations and want to work with them to create jobs and invest in our state. but when montana's already ranked as having one of the country's best tax climates in the nation for business, let's never allow misinformation to be the motivation for missed steps. but valuing tax rebate and tax cuts with our eyes wide open. [applause]

i propose returning $100 billion back to the pockets of montana homeowners. i recognize that others have suggested that we should use that hundred million dollars to provide property tax cuts instead. the difference between the tax rebate and the tax cut is simple: who stands to benefit? given hundred billion dollars back in the form of a tax rebate will return $400 to every one that has primary residences in the state. what you put -- when you put a check in the hands of montana taxpayers. they are going to take the money downtown and spend it in the small small businesses along main street. if you take that hundred million dollars and use it to cut property taxes instead, the average montana homeowner would receive $44 this year. not $400. think about that.

it will take ten years for the taxpayer to get back as much money as they did this year with the rebate. yet, if you're a company like ppnl that proposed tax cut but reward you with over $1 million this year alone, that's 23,000 times more than the average homeowner would receive. if we consider and earnestly consider who stands to benefit from our actions, to me the path that we should take becomes clear. we have the opportunity to return money to hard working montana. create $100 million of economic activity here in montana, [inaudible] long-term hole in our budget. the future generations, with the washington, d.c., style-deficit that montana avoided during the

recession. let's not miss this chance. [applause] the same goes for cuts to the business equipment tax which is the tax on -- the last legislature reduced this tax rate across the board for every company in the state. let take the next step though. andlet eliminate this tax for 11,000 montana businesses. two thirds of the businesses that pay it. doing so will directly benefit main street businesses in to your communities. it's been making and sellly candy on last chance here since 1922. under my proposal it would no longer pay this tax.

the business in great falls that manufactures and distributes windows that can stand up to the harsh montana climate. they can use the business equipment tax dollars they've been paying to further invest in the business. under my proposal, the iron horse would also have a little bit of more breathing room in the bottom line. from manufacturers to restaurants to taverns to service providers within 11,000 montana businesses will no longer pay the tax. free up thousand of dollars they can invest in the businesses or employees. we have the opportunity to stand with the vast majority of small and medium sized businesses in this state. let's not miss this chance. [applause]

finally, as we focus on creating jobs, investing in education, and making government more effective, behave in a manner that will make our children proud. i've been already trying to change the tone in the hall of the building. i hope you'll join me in doing so. i hope you'll join me in preserving the integrity of our elections. one hundred year ago our ancestors came together not as republicans or democrats. but as people of montana to take control of their destiny. these forward-thinking montana people knew that the election, the corner san antonio of -- stone of our democracy should be about principle, idea, and plans for the future. our campaigns should be vigorous debate about the problems we face. and those opportunities that lie ahead.

and anew that government should be about people. lending a hand to those that need it. bettering the place that we love. ensure that the next generation has opportunities even greater than we enjoy. and i truly think in the last hundred years, since then, our leaders have always been our friends and our neighbors. and they have looked out for our interests. and the century following the passage of the act montana has benefited from a strong citizens democracy. in the past several years, however, more money than ever, though, has been spent on our political campaigns. both at the national level and here in montana. as attorney general, i fought to preserve our citizens democracy and stem the tides of corporate money in the elections. [applause]

[applause] we have seen the rise of a dark money groups that target candidates yet refuse to tell the voting public who they really are. and what they really represent. they hide behind madeup names and newspapers. they operate out of po boxes or washington, d.c., office buildings. they falsely proclaim themselves "the guardian" of montana's traditions. these groups believe they can violate our laws and corrupt our government in order to create a special system that benefits special interest. montana people deserve better. [applause]

[cheering and applause] the entire nation is looking to us to continue our fight to preserve our citizens democracy. we see this regular, all of you coming from all corners committing your time and energy for ninety days here. other states are astounded. other states don't always have the citizens democracy and the legislature we have. we can show those people who believe elections could be bought and sold what democracy really means. it's government for the people, by the people, and of the people. help me reform our loss. help me do so so that any organizations spending money during the course of an election just reveals the amount it spend and the source of the money. this is of modest proposal. help me make sure that it's

voters and as in investors we know who is spending and how much. together let's guarantee that elections will never be auctions, controlled by an anonymous bidders. [applause] i think in looking forward truly we owe nothing less than to the ancestors from $100 years ago and we owe nothing less to inherit the government that we are returning today. there's no saying that if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there. but i think we do know where montana must go. better jobs, better schools, and a more effective government. we a have a lot of work to do. but tremendous opportunities lie

ahead. let's use our time in office wisely. each and every one of us. let build on but not be constrainted by the progress of the past. let's be resolute in keeping our focus forward and to the future. and at the end of any one of our terms, yours or mine, we will be measured by the progress we made. and the true measure it won't be taken by politicians or won't be taken by pundits, it will be by our children and grandchildren. let's not forget that it's to them we're most accountable. god bless montana's children and families, god bless montana. god bless america. and thank you for letting me before you this evening. [applause] [cheering and applause]

you've, listens to the governor deliver the first state of the address. georgia 0 kef was the first well known woman artist, and even well in to her life in the 1970s there was no one who could match her fame. she became a feminist i con. i grew up under that influence. my first recognition with her work was not as an art historian but as a budding feminist who had attention drawn to the fabulous paintings. i lived in colorado and people talked about this woman. it was the way she lived. the fact that from 1929 forward, she came to new mexico for months out of the year living apart from her husband in the '30s and '40s she continued

to this for twenty years until her husband's death then she moved to new mexico full-time. so she -- imagination as an artist. she was famous so young and so famous yo so young. secondly she lived the life she wanted to live. she was a disciplined woman, and i think that stands out as women made choices even right through to the '70s. they made choices that accommodate family and other pursuit in their life. she had one driving passion in her life, it was her art. >> the georgia museum one of the place you'll see this weekend as booktv, american history tv, and c-span's local content vehicles look behind the scene at the history and literary life of santa fe. sand at noon eastern on c-span2 booktv and sunday at 5:00 on american history tv on c-span3.

[inaudible] can't you give them -- [inaudible] lby is and chief congressional aid strategize on the president's civil rights agenda saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern. today john kerry gave the senate farewell speech. reflected on the 28-year career representing massachusetts as a u.s. senator. the senator confirmed john kerry's secretary of state nomination on tuesday in a 94-3 vote. >> i want to begin by thanking my colleagues, all of them for

their unbelievable belie generous comments to me personally in the committee and on the floor and in the halls and in meetings over the course of the last weeks. i will always be grateful for our friendship. i -- to sitting in the family gallery, and my entire family for their unbelievable support through this journey. five times massachusetts has voted to send me to the united states senate. yesterday only three decades after the people of massachusetts first voted me in to the office, the people i work with in the senate voted me out of it. [laughter] as always, i accept the senate's sound judgment. eight years ago, i admit i had a very different plan, slightly different, anyway, to leave the senate, 61 million americans voted they wanted me to stay

here with you. [laughter] and so staying here, i learned about humility, and i learned that sometimes the greatest lesson in life comes not from victory but from dusting yourself off after defeat, starting over when you get knocked down. i was reminded throughout the journey that something that is often said but not always fully appreciated, all of us senators are only as good as our staff. the staff that gives up their late nights and weekends, postpones vacations, doesn't get home in time to tuck children in to bed. and all of those lost moments because they're here helping us serving us. they are not elected, they didn't get in to public life or public service to get rich, that's for sure. their names are rarely in the newspaper. from the staff in the mail room to the people who answer the phones to the policy experts,

and the managers, legislative correspondents who write the letter, the caseworkers who make government accountable and the people everywhere in between, they make the senate work for people. i have been blessed to have a spectacular staff. and while i know every one of my colleagues would say the same thing about their staff. it's true about mine. if i start naming names i'm going miss spb. i'm not going to. i think everybody in our staff want to acknowledge five that aren't with us any longer. they are up in heaven looking down on us. ted kennedy is probably drafted all of them. the latter two of whom were senior citizens volunteers who opened our mail for over a decade. not paid, they just did this out of their love of the country. we miss them all and thank for

their selfless contribution. as i do, an entire staff of 561 incredible men and women in massachusetts and washington, that i have been privileged to work with through the twenty eight years. i think about the interns, 1,393 who have come in and out of our offices from washington to massachusetts, and i'm especially proud of those who started as interns and ended up as my chief of staff, legislative directer, senior policy staffers, or kerry intern who on to work not just for me but who have the last four years trip direct, speech writers. i'm proud of the internship program, and i'm grateful to the people who built it and sustain it. also i want to thank the incredible group of unsung

heroes who literally make the senate work. people who work not for individual senates but work for all of us. in every room and nook and cranny of this great series of buildings. the men and women who operate the senate subways, daryl and many others. the train, elevator, they take us to the votings and meetings. they are the glue that we couldn't function without them. they are an extraordinary group of people. the capitol police who protect us. police who a lot of people, around here started to notice a little bit more after the all awful day in 1998 when good were shot and killed on busy wednesday afternoon. the parolly men tear began and clerk and staff on the floor including

when we call for the votes schedule is going let us make it home to a child's dance recite l or birthday party or any kind of family event. i want to thank the many bernies who came here more than forty years ago dug in and made the senate their cause and concern. and people like mick murphy of the foreign relations committee who makes everybody's life easier. i thank the reporters who catch us in the hallways, trap us, and ambush us in the hallways, and who despite, all the changes and challenges in their own business, still beautifully document the first draft of american history. i thank all the incredible people who travel through the halls working incredibly hard to get it right. people of character who cover the place as a public service not a sport, and i thank them. i thank david rogers for all he

has stood for so long in the institution. it's hard to imagine my job without seeing him in the long green coat waiting by the elevator after a late night vote. some veterans in politics it's now almost a sport in america to dismiss the contributions of people who work in government. people who make the senate work but people that the public never see. i have admired the way our former colleague used to come down to the floor once a week and tell the story of one individual federal worker. the story of the leaguen, instead of tearing these people down, we ought to be lifting them up. and i thank them all for the part they play in our democracy. i will share with you now that i've come to this moment in the journey, i can say without reservation that nothing prepares you for it. many times now in twenty nine years, i've been at my desk here

on the floor starting way over there number 99, listening as colleagues bid the senate farewell. sometimes a farewell speech signals a complete departure from public life. sometimes a new journey all together, sometimes forced departure. sometimes a leap for freedom. [laughter] i'm grateful at this moment that thanks to my colleagues, sarin dipty and the trust of our president i'm closing a chapter, it's not the final one. i assure you amid the excitement and possibility, i do feel a wistfulness of leaving the united states senate. despite the obvious frustrations, of rented days and years, the frustration we all share. this place remains one of the most extraordinary institutions of any kind on the face of the

earth. on occasion, we all heard a senator leave here and take their leave condemning the senate for being broken. or having become an impossible setting in which to do the peoples' business. i want to be clear about my feelings. i do not believe the senate is broken. certainly not as an institution. there's nothing wrong with the senate that can't be fixed by what is right about the senate. the predominate notion that 100 american citizens chosen by their neighbors to serve the state is different as massachusetts and montana can always choose to put parochial or personal interests aside and find the national interest. i believe it is the honor of a lifetime and extraordinary privilege to have represented the commonwealth of massachusetts in the united states senate for more than

twenty eight years. what a remarkable gift it has been to carry the banner of senator from massachusetts just as you each feel that way about your state. a banner, in our case, passed from the son of the american revolution like daniel webster to the sons of immigrants. and to know that a state where the abolition nists crusaded and the suffrages marched could send the washington sons like ted kennedy and ed brooke who fought to expand civil rights and now a woman elizabeth warren who proved that in massachusetts, the glass ceiling has been forever shattered. what a remarkable gift massachusetts has given me to come here and learn so much about the rest of our country. i've had the privilege of learning what really making our nation tick.

what a gift to have been the nominee of my party to have come within a whisper of winning the presidency against the wartime incumbent, but more importantly, to have experienced the magic of our nation in such a personal way. to experience the gift of traveling along the banks of the mighty mississippi through iowa and south dakota and along the river where lewis and clark marked and measured the dream of our first secretary of state, thomas jefferson, who saw an america that would advance to the west. to experience a journey that took know alabama, where i stood silentfully the very pull pretty for which dr. king preached his dream and dipped my fingers to the fountain of birmingham where water flows over the names of those murdered, trying to vote or just registering to vote. to see the water trickle over

the words of drmplet's king's prayer that justice might roll down like a mighty stream. i drove across the hoover dam and i wondered as i did at what america can accomplish when we want to. when we put our minds to it. driving across the golden gate bridge at dawn and reminded it was built at the height of the great depression when so many feared the best days were behind us. but i have seen and heard and learned that traveling across our country is as a senator from massachusetts has repaired me for -- than any travel to any foreign capital. already i know i will miss the best reward of carrying the tight senator. that's a get a letter from someone who traveled every route and exhausted every option and who ultimately turned to you as

the last resort in public life and they finally got the help they needed. i know, my colleagues who have experienced this will say there is nothing better than getting the "i've tried everything and nobody listened to me but you got done" letter. when someone comes up to you thanking you for a personal response. that's when public service has more meaning than the words our constituents dodge on the cable news. standing here at this desk, once belonged to -- [inaudible] at this desk that once belonged to president kennedy and to kennedy. i can't help but reminded that even our nation's greatest

leaders and the rest of us are merely temporary workers. i'm reminded that this chamber is a living museum. a lasting memorial to the miracle of the american experiment. no one has captured this phenomena more eloquently or comprehensively than robert caro about the mast piece about the senate. i'm sure many in the room, i know most people have read it. in the book before we learn of the levers that lyndon johnson pulled to push our nation toward civil rights. caro described the special powers that the founders gave the senate and only the senate. powers care row writes, assigned to make the congress independent of the president and restrain and act as a check on his authority. power to approve the appointments, even the appointments he made within the administration. even the appointment to the own cabinet.

the body has exercised that power on my behalf. i will always be grateful. another master of the senate, massachusetts' daniel webster delivered 183 years ago this week with the often been praised as a greatest speech in senate history, he stood at the desk that now belongs to the senior senator from new hampshire. and argued forcefully and favor of the very idea that makes us the united states. that we're all in this together. that we each have a stake in the successes and failure of our country. that what happens in ohio matters to those in south carolina or in massachusetts or to montana people. union and liberty, webster shouted, now and forever. one inseparateble. as he retells it. the words spoken among the desk in senate left those in the

gallery in tears and cast a model for how those in the cheam we are must consider the constituents of our colleagues as well as our own. but the truth is that none of us ran for this office because of a great debate held centuries ago. none of us moved here because of the moving words of the senator long since departed. we honor the history because we're here, because of the legacy that we can and want to leave. it's up to us to my colleagues here today to those who come after us, it's up to us to keep the senate great. i fully believe that we'll meet that obligation if, as the president told the nation and the world last week, we seize this moment together. yes, congress and public life face their dpifltties these days. not because of the structure that our founding fathers gave us is inherently flawed.

for sure there are moments of great frustration for the american people and for everybody in this place. but i don't believe that they are the fault of the institution itself. it's not the rules that confound us, per se. it's the choices people make. about those rules. the rules we live by now essentially are the same ones that existed when i joined the senate and found things to move much more easily than they do today. they are essentially the same rules under which daniel webster and lyndon johnson operated. they did great things. almost the same rules that mike mansfield and ted kennedy and other orrin hatch used to pass great pieces of legislation. the same rule which is the senate democrats and president george h.w. bush passed in agreement including taxes to

begin to tackle the deficit. i remind everyone here as i take my leave from the senate, when president george h. w. bush returned from agreeing to deficit reduction agreement that andrew's air force base, he wrote in the personal dire i are he might well have sealed the fate as a one-term president. he did what he thought was right for the country and he layed the ground work for our ability to three times balance the budget at the end of the 1990s. that's courage. and the senate and the congress and the country need more of it. frankly, the problems that we live through today come from individual choices of senators themselves, not the rules but in individual senator or a can lewding caucus determine that the comedy essential to an constitution like the senate is

a barrier to individual ambition or party ambition, the country loses. those are the moments in which the senate fulfills, not its responsibility people, but it's reputation as a sanctuary of gridlock. i ask colleagues to remember the words of ben franklin as that long philadelphia summer yielded our remarkable constitution. late at night after the work was complete, dr. franklin was walking down the steps of constitution hall of independence hall, and a woman called -- out to him and said, well, doctor, what have we got? a republican or monarchy? franklin answered a republic, if you can keep it. sustaining a functioning republic is work. and it's more than ever, i believe, our challenge today. i'm hardly the first, and i will

-- i hope and probably not be the last to call on congress to remember why we're here. to prioritize our shared interest above the short term to bridge the breadth of the partisan divide, and to reach across the aisle and take the long view. many have stood here delivering farewell speeches and -- could cultivate in the stronger party or a congress that saw true froip between senators like hatch, obama and coburn. the odd couples, as they have, dubbed. i can't tell you why, but i too think it's possible this moment mazie a turn in the spirit of the senate. there are new whisper of desire for progress, rumors of new coalition, and a sense of possibility whether it is on

energy, or immigration. i am deeply impressed by a new generation of senates who seem to have come here determined not to give in to the cynicism but to get the peoples' business done. i'm confident when today's freshman take their turn in leaving the senate, they will be able to tell new senators added to that list of odd couple and with any luck by then, it won't be odd. i leave here convinced that we can keep our republic strong. when president kennedy observed, i quote him, our problems are manmade, therefore they can be solved by man. he was talking about a much more literal kind of nuclear option than euphemism we use today. the vision is just as important

for us to recognize in our time whether we're talk about the the ability of senators to debate and vote, or about the issues on which they do so. it is still true today as he said fifty years ago that reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable, and we believe he said they can do it again. i believe that too. so what effort do we need to put in to our reason and spirit in order do it? i believe there are three most significant challenges that have conspired to bring about a dangerous but reversible erosion in the quality of our democracy. the decline of cody, -- comedy, the delusion of money, and the disregard for facts. first, i have witness what we all have. a loss of simple comedy, the

respect that we owe one another and the sense of common cause that brings all of us here. the senate is a body that can change the rule to make itself more efficient, sure. but only senates, one by one in in their own heart can change the approach to legislating. which henry clay correctly defined as a art of consensus. i came to the senate in 1985, as a member of a hopeful and hard charging class of freshman. paul simon, tom harkin, al gore, phil graham, jay rockefeller, and i all have at least three things in common. we were all sworn in as senators at the same time, we each explored running or ran for the white house, and none of us made it there. [laughter] the last remaining member of that class, senator mitch mcconnell has now again been

elevated by his peers as the republican leader. i see a lot of the very similar aspiration we felt when i came here in 1985 and today's freshman and soft more. many came to the senate that it's broken beyond repair. i encourage each and every one of them to reject that premise in order to restore the props of the senate. the senate cannot break unless we let it. after all the value of institution like any instrument of power is how you use it. we can't ignore the fact that today treaties that only a few years ago would have passed 100-0 don't pass at all. people who want to vote for something that they believe in actually don't do so. for fear of retribution. that is a reflection on all of us. and as i prepared represent our

nation and capitals around the world, i'm more than conscious that my credibility as a deep mate and ours as a country is determined to great degree by what happens right here in our own capital city. the about dote to the current narrative of american decline, and you will hear it in china, in iran, in other part of the world. the earcht dote to that, and it is pushed by rival countries is to demonstrate that we can get our economic house in order because we can be no stronger abroad than we are here at home. it's that simple. it's damaging to america's prospect in the world. we are quick to talk about the global economy and about the global competition, but it's own our procrastination and outright

avoid answer of obvious choices that threatens our own future. other nations above quick and glad to fill the vacuum that brought about my our inaction. if the senate favors inaction over courage, and gimmicks over common ground, the risk is not that we will fail to move forward, it is that we will fall behind we will stay behind and surrender our promise to those more than willing to turn over the squandered opportunity to their advantage. the world keeps turning, the senate cannot afford to forever stand still. just as failing to do with the deficit and debt puts long-term interest at risk. so does taking america to the brink of default. our self-inflicted wounds reduce our leverage and influence in the world. and by failing to act, congress is making it harder to actually

advice mark's interests and making it harder for american business to compete and for american workers to succeed. if america is to continue to lead the free world, this must end. now we have all -- the lack of comedy in the senate. most of you have remain here have the power to restore. the choice to work respectfully with one another is about as simple as it gets. one suggestion, perhaps, while i'm honored by the presence of so many colleagues here now republicans, democrats, i have to say that we would all look forward to more days when united states senate desks are full of senators debating, deliberating, learning, listening, and leading. we would be stronger if the chamber is once again crowded because it is the world's greatest libtive body and the home of debate deliberation not

only when it comes to departure long. there's another challenge we must address. it is the corporating force of the vast sum of money necessary to run for office. the chase for money, i believe threatens to steal our democracy itself. i use the word corrupted. i want to be clear not the corruption of individuals, but a corruption of a system itself that all of us are forced to participate in against our will. the alliance of money and the interest it represents, the access that it affords to those who have it at the expense of those who don't. the agenda it changes or sets by virtue of the power it's steadily silencing the voice of the vast majority of americans. and have a harder time competing or who can't compete at all.

the insidious intense -- intention of that money is set the agenda, change the agenda, define the agenda of washington. how else can we possibly have the u.s. tax code of some 76,000 pages? ask yourselves how many americans have their own page, their own tax break? their own special deal? we should not resign others, mr. president, to a distorted system that can roads our democracy. and this is contributed to the justifiable anger of the american people. they know it, they know we know it, and yet nothing happens. truth requires that we call the corp. russian of money in politics what it is. it is a form of corruption that -- more americans than it empowers. it's an imbalance that the world has taught us that can only sow

the seeds of unrest. like the question of comedy in the senate, the influence of money our politics also influences our credibility around the world. and so too does the difficulty, the unacceptable extroird their difficulty we have in 2013 operating the machinery of our own democracy here at home. how extraordinary and how diminishing that more than fort years after the voting rights act, so many of our fellow citizen have great difficulty when they show up on election day to cast their vote, and they have their voice heard. that too is an issue that matters to useful us. for a country that can -- around the world our job is made more difficult through long lines and overt voter suppression and efforts to suppress peoples'

ability exercise the right we have stole. so many struggle still to exercise that right here at home. the last of the free obstacles we have the ability if not yet the will to overcome is the unbelievable disregard for facts, science and the construct of our -- conduct of our affairs. the degrades our credibility abroad as well as at home. my friends, the persisting match of the per perpetual campaign one that takes place in parallel universe. makes it hard and harder to build consensus among people. people don't know what to believe. and so in many ways, it encourages and oversimplefully indication of problems that too often retreat to slogans not ideas for real solutions.

america, i regret to say is increasingly defaulting rather than choosing. and so we fail to keep pace with other nations in the renewal of our infrastructure. the improvement of our school, the choice of our energy sources and care and nurturing of our children and protecting life here on earth. that too must change or our experiment is at risk fop remain a great nation we must do the business of our country and that begins by putting our economic house in order and it begins by working from the same set of facts. i believe we can't solve any of the problems unless you solve all of them, i note the three challenges because i believe the senate is going to be locked in to stalemate or our politics is going to be irreversibly poisoned unless we break out. i do so today saying this hopefully to someone who respects and loves this

institution and loves this country and wants to see us move forward. some things we know are moving forward. and thaiment comedy decreased and the influence of money is increased. i have seen the senate change for the better. this chamber used to be filled with a voices of men and men only. decisions affecting more than half of the population were made by people representing other half. when i walked in to the senate chamber to take my first oath twenty eight years ago, i was joined by my two teen daughters. it struck me, i have twice as many daughters as there were women in the united states senate. and today with the service of twenty women, including massachusetts' new junior senator, this is a stronger, smarter, place. more representative of our belief that out of many we're one. more capable of fulfilling the vision carried from washington

to webster to our current president that we are stronger nation when our leadership reflects our population. we have made huge strides on turning the page on gay rights. in 1993, i testified before stromb thur mom around service committee pushing to lift the ban on gays serving in the mill fair. i ran in to a whirl of misperceptions. i thought i was on a saturday night live skit. today at last, that policy is gone forever. and we are a country that honors the commitment of all willing to fight and die for our country. we have gone from senate that passed doma over my objections that welcomed the first openly gay senator. there are good changes that are taking place for our senator and country. we have more work to do. this place needs more women,

more people of color, more diversity of background and experience. but it's still a remarkable place. i'm reminder of the letter of harry tooman he used to write home. he sat in the back room of the chamber, late one night after the great debate of the new deal, he wrote to his mother, i hear my colleagues and i look out and pinch myself and ask how did i get here? several months later he wrote once more. again it was late at night and said i'm listening to the debate and i look across the aisle at the colleague and i listen and listen and hear them and i ask myself, how did they get here anyway? well, i have no doubt that colleagues have asked that question about me or about any one of us that has been back and forth, but twenty nine years later, i have learned something about how you solve that. i learned that the senate runs

on relationships. i know, that some of the more recent colleagues said here in the tumultuous election cycles hear that and think it's code for checking their belief at the door and going washington. it's not. and i'd add don't kid yourself, no one got here on a platform of pledging to join an exclusive club and get where they came from. when i say that relationships matter, i don't mean back stabbing, get along to go along relationships. yms real relationships. and today's hard charging colleagues who came to washington to shake things up, i'd remind them, so did i and tom harkin and the others intio. if i told you that a 40-year-old newly minted senator john kerry was going tell you that relationships matter most. i cut my teeth and grassroots

activism. i didn't come up through the political rank. i purse on to the scene as an activist and when you're an activist all that sing similarly matters to you with the exclusion of something else is the issue. where you are on the issue right or wrong. that's not what makes a good senator. it's not what makes the senate work. my late colleague of twenty five years, ted kennedy, taught me that. i saw him late at night sitting with the colleagues talking, listening, wanting to know about your state and family. he wanted to know why you came here. he had a unique ability to know not just what he needed from you on a vote or piece of legislation, but to know what you needed on a personal level as a friend, as a colleague, partner, my friend now vice president joe biden had a saying in his family if you have to ask, it's too late. with teddy, you never had to

ask. he always knew. he was there. he was there on a foggy morning when i had father passed away. teddy materialized almost out of nowhere. there he was at my porch door. he didn't call ahead or ask. he came just to mark a passage and listen. he was there. hehe was intingt to help. he taught -- so many of us during the time. where he passed it along every colleague here privileged to work with him, i'll never forget in 2007 when i announced i wouldn't be running again for president. i got a call that tom harkin wanted to see me. my staff surmised coming to ask for money for the iowa democratic party. they were wrong. [laughter] it was a visit where tom just came to share a few words that were simple but which meant the world to me.

a colleague visiting just say he was proud i had been the nominee of the party in '02, he looked forward to working with me more ?lt institution. let me tell you, those are the conversations that make the difn and those are the conversations you never forget that that is the jets senate at the best. a place where relationship matter the most. and it matters because teddy and tom and so others here understand that if a hundred senates knew each other and our leader worked hard to try to find a way to make it happen. then you can find the ways to work together. to my surprise, i learned it here in a way that never could have predicted alongside people i never thought i would count as one of my proudest friends. john mccain last week introduced me at my conformation hearing. we met here in the senate coming from different positions and perspectives. we both love the navy. i still do to this day.

but i had different feelings from john about the war. for both of us, vietnam was a deep point in our live, the way it was for many of our generation. here in the senate late one night, -- a trip of senator, congressman going somewhere in the world, we were going to kuwait after the first gulf war. john and i found others on a c130. neither could sleep. so we talked. we talked late in to the night about our lives and our war. shortly thereafter george mitchell and bob dole through us together on committee to investigate the fate of americans missing from the war which we fought. it was a tough time. and emotional issue where rambo was a box office smash and "newsweek" magazine covered provocative photographs which asked whether americans were still alive over there.

in to that called rein, we were thrown together. some were suspicious of boast us -- both of us. together we found common ground. i will never forget standing with john in the which he spent a number of years of his life. alone in the cell listening to him talk about the experience. ly always be grateful for his partnership in helping to make real peace with vietnam by establishing the most significant process in the history of our country or any any country for the accounting or missing or dead in any war after words working to lift the embargo and normalize relation with an old enemy. john had ever reason to hate it. but he didn't. question were able to heal deep wounds and end a war that

divided a lot of people for too long. that is a common experience. and only the relationships that are forged in the united states senate could have made it happen. john has the great expression, the fight not joined as a fight not enjoyed. he loves to debate, he loves to battle, but so do i. but i'll tell you, having fought besides him and against him, it's a heck of a lot better and more fun to have john fighting along side you. we still have differences, there's been a lot of newsprint that has been used up covering some of it. i'll tell you what, we both care about the senate as an institution. and we both care about the country's leadership and the world even when we see it differently and we both know that at some point, america's got to come together. we share this common experience and we have seen a lot together. and we were both able to travel the country as a presidential nominee for our party and return

to the senate to carry-on in a different way. few people know what that feels like. but just being by his side made it impossible for me not to be overwhelmed by his sense of patriotism and "devotion" to the country. it meant something else. if you can stand on the kind of common ground we found in the hilton, then finding common ground on issues here at home isn't hard at all. i will always thank john mccain for that lesson. one of the magical things about the senate, is this amazing mix of people and how they can come together to make something happen. i have learned and been impressed by the experience of ever singling one of my colleagues. i honestly marvel at the reflection of each state special character in the people that they send here.

i have learned from all from the fiery streets smart socialworker from maryland, from a down to earth, no nonsense farmer from montana, from a principal conservative doctor from oklahoma, a gazed a trail for -- and the united states senate, who teams with a former mayor of san francisco took office after the assassination of harvey and committed to stand against violence and for equality. from a maverick patriot i just talked about and former prisoner of war from arizona. from a song writer original compassionate conservative from utah. from a gravel voiced people champion from ohio, a soft spoken loyal honor winner from hawaii who use to the sit right here. from a college professor and

senate who was taken from us far too soon and quickly. .. who helped expose their voter fraud of the marker's regime any

dictatorship and giving a nation of more than 90 million people the opportunity to note democracy again. that's at the senate can do and that's what i love about it. instead of focusing on ideologies, jesse helme and i found our concern for the go drugs was greater than any political differences between us. and suggesting that it possible for an investigation to proceed in the senate to ask those linkages between the contras in nicaragua in american cities. that's at the senate can do. mr. president, the senate can still work if we learn from and listen to each other. two responsibilities that are like webster said about liberty and union, one and inseparable. so i say offering my final words on the senate floor, i remembered that i came of age and a son or freshmen senators didn't speak at austin. senators no longer hold their tongues to the whole sessions of congress and they shouldn't.

your voices are just as valuable as those count just as much as the most tenured member of this body. being heard by others does not exempt them from listening to others. i came to the national mall may 271 with fellow veterans. who wanted only to talk to her leaders about the war. president nixon tried to kick us off the wall and we knocked on door after door at capitol hill and to watch and couldn't get an audience to representatives. precious few including ted kennedy and hubert humphreys came to a river camped out in her group had to say. i saw first in our political process works only when leaders are willing to listen to each other and also to everyone else. soa first came to the senate.

that was made though, but my voice. i think he and my tenure is in many ways the book and peered 42 years ago i testified for senator fulbright committee about the realities of war in vietnam. it wasn't until last week i said before that committee again, this time testifying in my own confirmation hearing. the completed a circle, which i never could have imagined drawings, but one our founders really did. a citizen voicing opinion about a matter personal and national consequence could one day you step this is a senator, as the chairman of the same committee before which he once testified as a private citizen and then as the president's nominee for secretary of state. that is a fitting representation of what we mean that we talk about a government of the people, for the people and by the people. in the decades between then and now, and this is what they learned above all else.

the privilege of being here is in being able to listen to your constituents. it is the people and voices, much more than the marble buildings and institutions that house that determine whether or not our democracy works. in a first appearance before the senate, the fulbright hearings, i began by saying they have not here as john kerry. some of the group of 1000. i feel much made the same way today as i leave. we are still symbols, representatives of people who have given us the honor to speak an advocate of boat and that is the bible says is a charge to keep. one day and 99 senators who continue on for now and soon to be 100 again in a few days will also be in their turn and you're

on tour and cumbersome by their own choosing and semitic peoples. our time here is not meant to last forever. if we use the time to imposture politically in washington, we weaken our position across the world. we raced out about democracy everywhere. if we do not in our deeds prove our own ideals, we undermine our security in a secret mission as the best hope of earth. but if we do our jobs right, if we treat our colleagues at the respect and build relationships required to form consensus and find the courage to follow through on promises of compromise, the work we do here will long endure. so let us in the senate or the house be bigger than our districts. rn states. let us in spirit and purpose be

a state is states of america. let it stand for a police, but above all, let us believe in our common history, our common destiny and our common obligations, the pleasantly this exceptional nation. they say that politics stops the water's edge. that is obviously not always true. but if we care for our country, politics has its limits at home and abroad, as i leave here, i do so knowing that forever the senate will be in my soul and my countries may cause in yours. i cinematical for your friendship and the privilege of serving with you. thank you. cop mark [applause]

[applause] >> john kerry's resignation from the senate becomes effective on friday. today, massachusetts governor deval patrick named his replacement. the former chief of staff, william cowan will hold the place and tell the election on the 25th. [inaudible conversations] >> bolcom on what i think is a pretty exciting day.

ferber six years in the sermon in the office next door and had a chance to watch governor patrick make some difficult decisions, test decisions and surely this is a tough decision in terms of trying to make sure for qualified kennedy to be sure he was going to pick every person to represent the commonwealth in washington d.c. while there is no doubt a tough decision, it's also a great decision for anyone who's had a chance to work with no cowan, you can't find a better individual, smart, strategic, tough, qualities that will lend itself well to representing the commonwealth over the next several months. and lastly, he's cool. [laughter] john brady, george clooney, james bond, the president have nothing on mo. governor, congratulations on a

great decision and were all excited with your decision today. [applause] >> thank you, lieutenant governor. he cited. good morning, everybody. thank you for joining today. i want to begin by congratulating john kerry and the confirmation and thanking him for service of the commonwealth. for more than 25 years as a veteran, prosecutor, lieutenant governor and senator coming he's been a vote for progressive pragmatism and a model of statesmanship. we are so very fortunate that our country will have a person of such care there and integrity as our next secretary of state. we wish him well in this critical new role and i thank them personally for his friendship. yesterday afternoon i received senator kerry's letter resigning his seat. under massachusetts i now have responsibility to set a date for

a special election to fill the vacant see and appoint someone to serve as senator in and around. over the connector communications between my staff and secretary kelvin, we said june 25th as the date for the special election. today i have the great honor, privilege and personal pleasure to appoint mo cowan in the interim until a special election. mo cowan has been a friend and colleague -- professional colleague -- strike that an friend for a long time. he serves this administration is both chief of staff and chief legal counsel. he came to public service in the boston law firm of mintz levin where he was a partner in the business education practice. he's a native of north carolina and graduated duke university and came to massachusetts 20 years ago to attend northeastern moscow from which he graduated with his law degree in 1994 in

which he now serves as a trust deed. mo is a high livers acted public citizen. his service on the frontline in efforts to manage the diverse economy and 80 years to build a better instructor commonwealth for the next generation has given him an intimate understanding of the issues we face. and every step he has brought preparation, as, wisdom, sound judgment and clarity of purpose and it was a private fact non-publicly thanks to the lieutenant governor that he also brought cool. that has all earned him respect, admiration and trust the people throughout government, business community, labor and advocacy groups. he's been a valued alley timmy and our work on behalf of the people of the commonwealth and i'm confident he will be to his new colleagues in the united states and into the president president as well. i personal note, i want to thank

mo for his willingness to take on this assignment and his wife stacy and the voice for that he can do so. i know the personal sacrifice that goes a public service and i appreciate your own sense of services behind her willingness to on mo to the people the commonwealth a little while longer. it is my honor to present to you the united states senator designate for massachusetts, mo tree and three. [applause] [applause] >> thank you, governor. i'm honored and humbled by your action today and i pledge to you and the people of massachusetts said during interim. i go to work every day with the needs and aspirations of our state citizen and resident's

foremost in my mind. i know the people of massachusetts care about jobs, education, affordable high-quality health care network of those at this interest every day, just as you do everyday in your your administration. except this temporary post, confident in knowledge and perspectives i've acquired working with you and lieutenant governor. even the commonwealth should be assured i now go to our nation's capital ever mindful of what matters to the people of massachusetts. they'll also offer my congratulations to secretary of state kerry on his confirmation and also thank him for his years of committed and successful service to the people of massachusetts. secretary kerry and his senate staff have done well by the people of massachusetts and working with that stuff, i aim to continue that work the next few months. because the work is closely aligned with the governor patrick has been focused on since day one, over the last three years i worked at the

highest levels of the patrick murray administration. as chief legal counsel and chief of staff. in those rows have been privileged everyday to hear from individuals, advocacy groups and businesses so i can better understand, advise and act upon challenges and opportunities facing our state and as such, i'm confident my ability to make a positive impact for massachusetts one in the u.s. senate. working with someone from congressional delegation and president obama, i know i can help before the interest of this great state turn this temporary. and i look forward to is on a service. i want to close my prepared remarks by recognizing my lovely family in the front row. my wife, stacy, a true superwoman, my biggest supporter and frankly my everything. and our sons, miles and grant, my heart and soul. bear with me today. know that my family means the

world to me and i carried their love and support with me in the service. knowing i'm going to washington to do right by them as well and i go in the hope them proud. i would be remiss if i did not amount to a decreased influence of my life life, my mother. she's in north carolina now recuperating from her second new replacement surgery, so she's not with us physically, the know she's in my heart is a think what today signifies for her. she's a child of the segregated south, a single mother to my sisters and me after my father died when as a teenager. a woman who did not have the opportunity to attend college. my mother told me days i could ever possible. if you work out and shoot people with reese fact, there's very little you cannot achieve in this great nation. these are less than stacy and i try to pastor a sons today. i want to thank my mom from the

bottom of my heart and i hope this is videotape so i can show her. [laughter] forgive me the foundation of the this incredible opportunity today. thank you and i look forward to your questions. [inaudible] >> -- can you ever see yourself owning for something that would cost jobs in massachusetts? >> thank you for the question. the sequester us on the table do to help been march 1st. i think it's been clear the president, even though his even though his face with this, the congress, the best strategy and the best case scenario is a balanced approach to this, spending cuts, revenue. there's been some revenue in the most recent legislation, but there's more work to be done. i don't think anyone believes is in the best interest to do across-the-board cuts. we have to look closely.

the goodness isn't going to washington d.c. we've been looking at this issue closely because we know if the sequester happens is going to have significant impact on massachusetts. that knowledge i take with me as i do this work. [inaudible] >> jannette, this is going to be a very short political career. [inaudible] >> i'm not running for office. i'm not a candidate for public service today or anytime in the future. [inaudible] >> the governor offered me this opportunity yesterday. i was aware for some time that i was among the list of candidates, but as most of you know i've been focused in november i'm planning my return to the private sector and that's what i've been focused on literally until yesterday.

i [inaudible] >> there's much to get done. as i mentioned, i'm not going down by myself. we have one of the most dynamic, successful express congressional caucuses that is in congress. i went to work closely with them. and look forward to to work with senator warren. good news for all of us, particularly me as i will have the benefit of senator kerry's outstanding staff is here in the state of massachusetts and washington d.c. so while there may be a bit of a learning curve as i find my way around the building, when i get to the office i know they met with experience staffers who want to make sure i can help them keep moving the agenda forward in the way senator kerry has. [inaudible]

>> governor patrick asoka many times about his process and i want to be respectful of the process. i have to know some people suggested and may be a good candidate for this opportunity once it became clear he might be considered. i recuse myself from any involvement and as i said yesterday the governor may make the offer and i expected. i [inaudible] [laughter] >> let me answer the second question first. a small group of people who are helping me sort through and that candidates are the ones who, once we landed on mo cowan suggested he not wear his trademark bowtie today. it's the only one of their judgments with which i disagree,

but it wasn't worth the the fight. today is about the decision to appoint mo cowan as interim senator. there's either a very capable candidates on the list, including congressman frank, all of them because of how capable they were needed a difficult choice, but i'm confident this is the right and best choice for us. [inaudible] >> no, i'm not. i do get carter's clout in washington to seniority, but one of the reasons i think our delegation has consistently been so strong is because of the depth of the people we send in mo cowan is very much in that condition. larry. [inaudible] >> i --

[laughter] i'm not that cool. what i do see is a not termination of the american dream. 179 talked about what his mother conveyed to him about what is possible in this country, i think that is the thing to celebrate every opportunity we have. [inaudible] >> what advice do i have? i guess the same thing i say to you yesterday, which is wait until it's time for the appointment. [inaudible] -- can you reflect to the next 10 batters than medical --

[inaudible] >> john, to the extent you asked whether having a black governor with a goal of mine, yeah. i guess it kind of goes with the package. but the fact is we talked about this a little bit last night that the commonwealth and the country is changing. the brad of diversity of background and ethnicity and race is deeper and broader than after and i have known for a long time and have believed for a long time that there's talent in every community in the commonwealth. and to the extent that we can reflect that and encourage coming in now, little boys and girls of color or who are poor or her growth in march by circumstance is to imagine what

it might be like to serve the public in a space and i think it's a great thing. heidi imac >> well, i think unfairly characterize it as being active in promoting the notion of equal opportunity for everyone. listen, i came to massachusetts 22 years ago for an opportunity. everyday been in massachusetts, i've had an opportunity to grow personally, professionally. i met my wife here. we the family, built a home here. massachusetts is a commonwealth of opportunity for everyone and that's what i've been busy promoting to the extent i promote anything. and pakistani before you today to follow in senator brooks steps. the reason i'm staying here is not because of my personal color, african american. i believe the governor has indicated he's got confidence to do the job he's sending me to

do. you heard me talk about my mother. another one of her same as no matter where you are or where you're going, just understand you're better than no one, but you can be a one seat approach this and i intend to approach this work. [inaudible] [inaudible] >> just wishing and hoping? mail. [inaudible] yes, and i will. probably around june 26. you know, i indicated i plan to lease a service to return to privacy or any know my rationale and reached -- reason for that.

that's what i intended to do. listen, i just mention how massachusetts has been an opportunity for me. there's no greater calling than to say the people of massachusetts, to give back to a state he's given so much to me. it's a little more of a sacrifice for my family, but a worthy sacrifice because we get the chance to set me up there to help the people of massachusetts work on issues that we've been working on over the last six plus years in this administration, through which i've i've been here. it's been great, this is an honor. i will gladly put off my time in the private sector for this opportunity. [inaudible] >> great question. after i leave you kind folks today, i'm going to have some conversations with numbers that secretary kerry staff. i will be working with them to talk about the schedule for d.c. and probably in the next day or so, perhaps early next week will head down and get to work.

[inaudible] >> be careful. [laughter] >> that's a great question. i'll put it to you this way. today i got married was the day i realized it was the luckiest man in the world. the day her sons were born, i realized what true unconditional love meant. today is a tremendous honor for me as a massachusetts medicine, u.s. citizen and i mother son. today graduate from college was simply -- [inaudible] >> well listen, great question for my friend from duke. i don't think we're going to differ much if at all. i'm going down this temporary. to continue the good work senator kerry and his team have

done for the status. does the issues we've been working on all these years, issues we talk about with and deal with a grapple every day. there's no need to senator kerry served in close partnership with governor patrick and you can expect me to do the same. [inaudible] >> i will tell the voters they should have confidence that every day i'm going to get up while i'm in this world to work on their behalf on the issues most important for them. the voters themselves will decide who takes the seat, keeps and thus their work from june june 26th. [inaudible] >> it's very much the latter. i want to continue the work going on already. as i said, this is a temporary assignment. were goi